By Hec Hancock
Reprinted from Tri-City Herald, June 27, 1980
Just to be on the safe side it might be a good idea for thunderboat aficionados to circle today's date, June 27, 1980, on their calendars.
It could be a red-letter day in the history of the sport, possibly even of the magnitude of the development of the Slo-Mo-Shun IV and the three-point suspension back in 1950 by Seattleites Ted Jones and Stan Sayres.
On the other hand, the introduction of the turbine engine to the sport of unlimited hydroplane by Dave Heerensperger and the new Pay 'n Pak might just be another interesting day of thunderboat racing.
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| The new turbine powered Pay 'n Pak kicks up her heals. |
Either way, boat owners, drivers and race fans will be following the turbine engine's first taste of competition with a great deal more than just passing interest.
"It could be the biggest thing to hit racing or the biggest and most expensive bust," admits Heerensperger, who won three national championships before selling his boats, engines and equipment in 1975.
It's been almost two years in the works, and Jim Lucero, crew chief and boat designer, hopes he has successfully adapted the type of turbine engine used by helicopters during the Vietnam War to use in thunderboat racing.
If it works, an entirely new world of hydroplane racing will have been opened up.
The advantage the turbine engine offers over the traditional reciprocal engine are many.
It's much lighter first of all. The Pay 'n Pak's turbine engine weights about 700 pounds compared the Griffen Rolls Royce's 2,500 but can deliver approximately the same 3,000 horsepower.
The turbine, which can produce full power in a one-and-half seconds, is more durable, in greater supply and much more current than the World War II vintage aircraft engines.
But whatever the ultimate potential of the engine, Heerensperger cautioned against expecting too much too soon.
"We probably won't see much Sunday," he said after the boat's run Saturday. "We have a lot to learn and may adjustments to make. We're not going to be running 180 mph because we don't want to get anybody killed."
Actually, the appearance of the Pay 'n Pak in today's Columbia Cup race isn't the first jet-powered boat to race.
Back in 1974 the U-95 equipped with twin Lycoming gas turbines set a world record of 113.464 mph for a 2½-mile heat in the World Championship race here with Leif Borgersen in the cockpit.
In fact, the U-95 whipped the Pay 'n Pak which went on to win the national championship that year and might have won the race had it's tail assembly not been clipped in the first turn of the final by another boat.
The boat was the project of the late Jim Clapp, who died before he could see the fruits of his idea and investment. Hist widow, Pam, carried the project on.
Chuck Lyford, the crew chief on the first jet boat, is associated with the present Pay 'n Pak team and is much less inhibited in his optimism over the boat's future than is the owner.
"This boat's much faster right now than the U-95 was on its best day," he said as he watched the new turbine boat lowered into the water Saturday at the Columbia Park pits. "It has more power and less weight."
More important, thought, is the fact is has but one engine, thus greatly simplifying the transmission of power.
"This boat has one gear box while we had five. That's a lot of things to go wrong," he points out. "They haven't begun to pull on their power yet but I really don't foresee any problem." Lyford said. "The ability to produce full power almost instant is going to be spectacular coming out of turns."
Actually, the present turbine engine used by the Pak is the type Lyford wanted back in 1974, but it wasn't available because of Defense Department restrictions.
Also along for the turbine boat's maiden voyage was Pam Clapp.
"I really admire Jim for his foresight. He was really enthusiastic about turbine engines and had he courage to put his money behind the idea. In the finally analysis it takes an idea get things going."
Clapp invested about $600,000 in the project and Pam added another $200,000. The boat sank during a race on Lake Washington.
"I was sad," his widow recalled, "but also in a way relieved. I felt I had fulfilled my obligation."
Now another owner has his money on the line and it ready to roll the dice.
"Anyway," says Heerensperger, "if Griffons are so great, how come they don't use them in helicopters."